FIVE

Alisha:

I stirred from my restless slumber to the sounds of birds. The forest was quiet at the early hours of the evening and I could see the dawn peeking through the morning sky. I was in a clearing, resting on one of the larger roots of the redwood trees around me. I had walked so long before I had come upon it that afternoon. And I had stopped to rest. My tears had long run dry but I was still shaken from everything.

That was when I heard it; unmistakable sounds of footsteps, crunching leaves in their path.

Following it was the sound of humming which made me tense and look around me. The voice was closer than I expected. I saw him before he saw me; a man coming up from my left.

But it was too late for me to hide a I knew that as soon as he stopped humming, his face turned in my direction.

I looked down as the footsteps grew close and closer.

Now I was in trouble.

“Now who are you?” I heard him ask, as if he was talking to himself.

You’re dead. You can’t even survive a day without